Japanese attitudes toward xenotransplantation

Abstract

The reasons given by the Japanese public, scientists, and school and university students toward xenotransplantation were assessed by questionnaire surveys and by respondents' written comments. Between 1997 and 2000, there was an increase in the number of people who said they had heard of xenotransplant research, from 43 percent to 67 percent. In 2000, three in ten among the public said that it should be encouraged, while half said that it should not. In contrast, just less than half of the scientists said they supported the technology. The major reasons given in all groups were to save human life, versus safety and ethical concerns. More of the general public and school students considered xenotransplants to be unnatural compared with the scientists and university students. The reasons given are discussed in light of Japanese culture and the situation regarding organ transplants. Some in all groups, including young people, expressed both benefits and risks of this technology, and sophisticated arguments were used, suggesting that a number of people are able to consider moral dilemmas, such as those posed by the use of genetically engineered animals for xenotransplants. Still there remain a number of even educated persons who argue on only one side of the debate over the use of xenotransplants.